Man drives stolen car over embankment, rescue crews called

A stolen car went over a Rainier Avenue South embankment, but fire crews were unable to find a person who allegedly went into the water after the crash.

Police say the 24-year-old driver had stolen the car about an hour and a half before losing control and going roughly 20 feet down the embankment. He was being evaluated for drug or alcohol impairment, Detective Renee Witt said.

The incident happened about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the 9700 block of Rainier Avenue South. Seattle Fire Department Lt. Sue Stangl said the man was found outside the car and taken to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

That man wasn’t cooperative and didn’t say much to firefighters other than vaguely mentioning a second person, Stangl said.

“He wouldn’t give us a name or description,” she said.

Firefighters interviewed several witnesses and none saw a second person. Mercer Island and Seattle police harbor units helped with the water search, but found nothing.